Controlling, mechanism for phonographs.



H. M. SMITH.

c o mnoume MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23, IOIB.

1 ,2? 6 983 I Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Z SHEETS-SHEET Zz g3J.

n1: NORR'S FETERS ca NMV... "w WASHINGTON. n a:

H msm'nu. commoume MECHANISM ron PHONOGRAPHS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 23. 1916.

l 76,983 Patented Aug. '27, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- MW e 5565.

FFIQE.

HARRY M. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ITJLINOIS.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PI-IONOGRAPHS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY M. SMITH, citizen of the United States of America, and

resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Controlling Mechanism for Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in phonographs and particularly to the provision of means for manually controlling the character of the vibrations received from the record.

In a machine of this character, it is desirable to provide means for enabling an individual to control the sound produced from the record, as in this way one is enabled to impart individual expression to the music produced. Heretofore means have been devised with this aim in View, which means have consisted in varying the size'of the air passage, and thus checking, to a greater or less extent, the sound produced.

By my invention, however, instead of thus choking the sound, I control the vibrations of the diaphragm and thus control the amount of the sound produced.

A special feature of my invention is the provision of pneumaticmeans for controlling the sound, as through such an arrangement I am enabled to obtain very eiiicient results and the construction is one that is simple and easily applied to a phonograph.

A further feature of my invention is in having my device so arranged that it can be readily attached to practically any form of phonograph.

These and other features and objects of my invention will be more readily understood by having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention as applied to a well known form of cabinet phonograph.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a phonograph provided with my improved attachment.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View of my improved controlling mechanism, showing the parts in their normal position, with the bellows collapsed and the vibrating arm free to vibrate.

' Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view similar Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

Application filed October 23, 1916. Serial N 0. 127,040.

to Fig. 2, showing the parts in the position they assume when the bellows are expanded and the vibrations of the vibrating arm dampened.

Fig. 4c is a plan view, partly in section, of the sound box with my improved attachment.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

As illustrated, I have shown a well known form of cabinet phonograph, consisting of a cabinet 7 on which is pivotally mounted a sound horn 8, carrying a sound box 9. This sound box can be of any of the well known constructions, and consists essentially of a diaphragm 10 and a vibrating arm 11. This vibrating arm is provided with an angular end portion which is secured to the center of the diaphragm, which arm is mounted so as to receive vibrations from the record 13 through the medium of the needle 14 in the well known manner, which record is carried by the usual revolving table 15. All of this construction is well known and forms no part of my present invention.

The arm 11 is normally free to vibrate in response to the vibration received from the record, and in turn this arm imparts its vibration to the diaphragm which thereby produces the sound waves through the sound arm 8. The objectof my invention is to provide means for manually controlling the vibration of this arm so that the sound produced can be amplified or diminished at the will of the operator.

WVith this end in View, I have provided a triangular mounting-plate 16, provided with downwardly turned end portions which are adapted to grip the circumference of the sound box. One of the arms of this plate is provided with a set-screw 17 to permit slight adjustment to compensate for the varying sizes of the different sound boxes. Pivotally mounted on this plate are two parallel arms 19, 20, which arms are provided with jackets'Ql, 2:2, of rubber or other suitable sound-dampening material, and are located on opposite sides of the vibrating arm 11. Pivotally mounted on the free end 23 of the arm 19 is a lever 23, which at its opposite end is pivotally connected with the rod Ql secured to the bellows 25. Pivotally connected to the free end of the arm 20 is a short connecting link 26, the other end of the link being pivotally connected to the arm 23 a short distance from its pivotal connection to the arm 21. The bellows can be of any desired construction. I have shown the same as being carried by a bracket 27 cast integral with the supporting plate 16, which bracket is provided with a circular ring-shaped portion 28 adapted to slip over the cylindrical body portion 29 ot' the bellows and clamp the eXpansible member 25 to this body portion. A suitable air tube 30, terminating in a bulb 31, provides means for operating the bellows.

l/Vith this construction, it will be seen that when the parts are in normal position, as shown in Fig. 2, that the arm 11 is free to vibrate in response to the vibrations received from the record. If, however, it is desired to soften any particular part that is, diminish the vibrations of the arm 1l the bulb 31 is depressed so as to expand the member 25 of the bellows, and thus advance the rod 2st. The movement of this rod rocks the lever 23 about its pivotal point of connection 23 with the arm 19. This movement of the lever 23 tends to produce a pull, through the link 26, on the end of the arm 20, thus pressing the rubber sleeve 22 against the vibrating arm 11. At the same time that the arm 23 pivots about its point of connection 23 with the arm 19, there is likewise a movement of this lever about its pivotal point of connection with the link 26. This movement of the lever 23 tends to throw the pivotal point 23 in ward, thus rocking the lever 19 and causing its rubber sleeve 21 to bear against the vibrating arm 11. Thus it will be seen that when the bulb is pressed, that the two arms 19, 20 are moved simultaneously so as to cause the sleeves 21, 2-2, to bear against the opposite sides of the vibrating arm 11, and thus dampen the vibration of the same. The pressure with which the sleeves bear against the vibrating arm depend upon the extentto which the bulb is depressed, and thus the amplitude of the vibrations of the arm 11 can be readily cont-rolled.

With this construction, it will be seen that the sound produced from the record can be very readily and efliciently controlled. Thus, for example, if the bulb is held normally depressed, a certain degree, so that the vibrations of the arm are slightly dampened, then by releasing the bulb, the sound can be accentuated, while by further de pressing the bulb the sound can be further softened. In this manner, a selection which is bein played can be modulated according to ones individual expression. Furthermore, we notice that with this construction there is no choking of the sound in the sound arm, as in previous constructions, but I provide means for varying the amount of sound produced by the diaphragm.

lVhile I have illustrated and described one particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modifications will be readily suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of my invention. Thus, it is obvious that the vibrating arm could be normally dampened and the pressure on the bulb operate to tree this arm so as to accentuate the sound produced.

lVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a phonograph, an arm adapted to receive vibrations from a record, a second arm pivotally mounted at one end adjacent to said first'mentioned arm and provided with a jacket of resilient material, and manually controlled pneumatic means for causing said jacket to engage said first-mentioned arm to thereby dampen the vibrations of the same.

In a phonograph, a vibrating arm, a pair of arms pivotally mounted at one end on opposite sides of said first-mentioned arm, each of said pair being provided with a resilient jacket, and manually controlled pneumatic means for simultaneously moving said pair of arms toward said vibrating arm to thereby cause said jackets to engage with said vibrating arm to thereby dampen the vibrations of the same.

3. In a phonograph, a vibrating arm, a pair of arms mounted on opposite sides of said vibrating arm and pivotally mounted at one end, a lever pivotally comiected to the free end of one of said pair of arms, a connection from said lever to the free end of the other, of said pair of arms, and means for moving said lever to thereby cause said arms to be moved toward or away from said vibrating arm.

4-. In a phonograph, a vibrating arm, a pair of arms mounted on opposite sides of said vibrating arm and pivotally mounted at one end, a lever pivotally connected to the free end of one of said pair of arms, a connection from said lever to the free end of the other of said pair of arms, and manually controlled pneumatic means for moving said lever to thereby cause said arms to be moved toward or away from said vibrating arm.

5. In a phonograph, a vibrating member, a pair of arms mounted on opposite sides of said vibrating member and pivotally mounted at one end, a lever pivotally connected to the free end of one of said pair of arms, a connection from said lever to the free end of the other of said pair of arms, and means for movin said leverto thereby cause said arms to lie moved toward or away from said vibrating arm, said pair of arms being provided With jackets of resilient material adapted to engage with said vibrating member to thereby dampen the vibrations of the same.

6. In a phonograph, a vibrating member, a pair of arms mounted on opposite sides of said vibrating member and pivotally mounted at one end, a lever pivotally con nected to the free end of one of said pair of arms, a connection from said lever to the free end of the other of said pair of arms, and manually controlled pneumatic means for moving said lever to thereby cause said arms to be moved toward or away from said vibrating arm, said pair of arms being provided With jackets of resilient material adapted to engage with said vibrating member to thereby dampen the vibrations of the same.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 13 day of October, 1916.

HARRY M. SMITH. Witnesses:

E. H. OLEGG, AMY JEBLE.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 

